Optimum Time and Placement of Fertilizer with Direct and Conventionally Seeded Winter Wheat

Poor weather, yields and prices caused winter wheat acreage in Alberta to decrease by several hundred thousand acres in the last 10-15 years. However, newer, higher yielding varieties are causing a resurgence in winter wheat production and a demand for better information about fertilizer management. This project has been evaluating fall versus spring applied N and seed-placed N and P fertilizer in direct seeded winter wheat. Winter-kill made the 1996 results variable, but they show that proper placement and timing of fertilizer can improve yields. High yielding winter wheat has a large demand for plant nutrients, and is very responsive to applied N and P.


Objectives

The objective of this project is to examine the effects of conventional versus direct seeding to establish winter wheat, and to determine the effects of seed-placed fertilizer in the fall versus broadcast fertilizer in the spring. Results will be used to develop recommendations on best management practices for winter wheat production.